


Hidden Secret

by Lady_Sci_Fi



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-26
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2019-04-28 02:05:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14439141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Sci_Fi/pseuds/Lady_Sci_Fi
Summary: The Doctor comes across Mike Yates at a pub one night, which could have dire consequences for the UNIT captain.





	Hidden Secret

 The Doctor parked Bessie in a car park in a part of London he hadn’t become familiar with yet, and set out to walking and exploring. He’d made it a point to these wanderings when he could to get used to the city that he was now stuck in, working for UNIT. While London in 1970 was a fine enough city, he hoped the rumours of UNIT moving their HQ to the countryside would happen. It just sounded overall a nicer type of place to live and work, especially with the type of work he and UNIT did.

 Even with that desire, he wasn’t going to ignore the rest of the city around the current HQ.

 The Timelord came across a pub, and decided it was late enough in the evening to have a drink. He entered, and made a beeline for the bar, noticing the pairs and groups of men at the tables. There were some women present, too, also with each other instead of mingling with the men. Nothing out of the ordinary to note. He ordered a drink, handing over some money the Brigadier insisted he always carry on him.

 

 “Oh… Alexander, that bloke who just walked in and went to the bar… dresses to impress, he does. Mind you, a bit too old for me, but he must’ve been quite a looker when he was younger.”

 Mike Yates turned in his seat at the other man’s- someone he had only met half an hour ago and who looked to be hoping for an actual date after this- prompting to see who had walked in. It didn’t take long for his eyes to find the grey-haired man sitting at the bar, dressed in a frilly shirt and deep purple velvety jacket, complete with short black cape. Mike’s eyes widened and he swallowed heavily, wondering what the Doctor was doing here of all places.

 Mike turned back, hoping the Doctor would stay over at the bar and not take any close looks in his direction. He cleared his throat and kept his rising panic from reaching his face and voice. “He does, doesn’t he? Maybe a bit too fancy for my tastes.” He barely registered the other man’s reply, before deciding he needed to calm himself down, alone. He smiled to the other man, and said, “Excuse me for a moment,” and gestured with his head towards the restrooms.

 Once in the relative privacy of the restroom, Mike nervously paced between a sink and a stall a few times. What was the Doctor doing here, right now? Had he followed Mike here? Had someone sent him to follow him? Someone from UNIT? The Brigadier wouldn’t do that, would he? Or maybe it was someone higher up, who suspected Mike of his… inclinations? But, why send the Doctor to tail him? This couldn’t be a coincidence, could it?

 Either way, what was he supposed to do now? He couldn’t stay in here all night until the Doctor left. He could try to leave, but the bar was too close to the door, and surely the Doctor would see him.

 No, he would have to brazen this out. Keep a cool head. Maybe this was all a coincidence, and he would be left alone and not have to explain his whereabouts to a superior officer after tonight.

 Mike looked into the mirror and took a deep breath. He could do this. Act like nothing was wrong and not draw attention to himself. He left the restroom and rejoined his drinking partner.

 Unfortunately, despite his efforts to stay off the Doctor’s radar, Mike stiffened when the other man interrupted their conversation to say, “Mr Fancy is coming over here. I’ll have to ask him where he gets those clothes.”

 “Ah, thought it was you, Mike,” the Doctor said cheerily in greeting.

 Mike stared down into his glass, his fingers tightening around it. “You’re mistaking me for someone else.” He knew he wasn’t going to succeed at bluffing his way out of this in this way.

 The Doctor waved a hand airily and took a sip from his half-empty glass. “I don’t usually see you in this casual sort of attire, but I’m good with faces.”

 That did it. He couldn’t have the Doctor say what his usual day attire was or where he recognized his face from. “I-I have to go.” He stood awkwardly. “Nice meeting you.”

 “Want to meet up again, Alexander?”

 But Mike had already turned and started heading for the door. Once outside, he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked quickly to where he had left his car. He had just been discovered by someone from UNIT, in a place that had a certain reputation. His mind was already sifting through ways to explain all this to the Brigadier and anyone else who would be questioning him about this. He’d only been in UNIT a few months, and it looked like that was going to soon come to an end, along with being in the regular army.

 “Mike!”

 Of course the Doctor had followed him out. He considered running, but that wouldn’t do any good. He’d still have to go in to work tomorrow.

 “Come on, Captain Yates, I know it’s you.” The Doctor caught up easily and grabbed Mike’s arm to turn him around. “What’s the matter?”

 Mike stopped himself from wrenching his arm away, and the Doctor soon let it go. Still, he didn’t answer the question.

 “Why did that man call you Alexander?”

 “That’s my middle name,” Mike quietly answered. Then he started walking away again. The Doctor couldn’t make him answer any questions. He was the scientific advisor, but he had no actual rank, no true authority over him. He was stopped by another hand around his bicep.

 “What’s wrong, Captain? Why would you go by… You weren’t working undercover, were you?”

 “No.” Mike pulled away slightly, and the other man let him go. “Sir, if you’re not going to turn me in right now, may I please go home?” He couldn’t keep the panic and fear from his voice any more.

 “Turn you in?” The Doctor was now thoroughly confused. “Why would I do that?” He leaned in close to ask, “Why are you so frightened?”

 “You… you don’t…?” Either the Doctor was playing dumb to gain his trust, or he really didn’t understand. Whichever it was, and Mike doubted the Doctor would choose to hurt him like this, he really didn’t want to explain right now. But really, he had no choice but to do so. If this had just been a coincidence, maybe he could convince the Doctor not to tell anyone else.

 “Mike, please, if you’re in any sort of trouble, tell me? Maybe I can help?”

 Mike snorted. There wasn’t anything the Doctor could do about the law, as much as he wished he could. Then he sighed. There would be no good in asking the Doctor to forget all this and go home. Mike’s behavior was too much for the curious Doctor to simply ignore. In fact, Mike knew the Doctor would probably ask the Brigadier or someone else at UNIT to check up on him or something because of this. He had to get this over with now, and whatever the Doctor decided to do afterwards… there was nothing Mike could do about it.

 Mike let out a long breath. “Not… not out here. My car is just over there.” He didn’t say another word until they were both sitting in his car. He could sense the Doctor’s eyes on him, but all Mike could do was stare ahead out of the windshield.

 The Doctor didn’t push, which Mike was grateful for. It took him a moment to finally say, “That pub… It has a certain rightful reputation. For… for being for homosexuals.”

 “Ah, I see.” The Doctor rubbed at the back of his neck. “But why would you be afraid of… it’s not illegal, is it?”

 “There…” The younger man cleared his throat. “There were some law changes a few years back that decriminalized a lot of it. So… essentially it’s not illegal.”

 “Then why the-“

 “Unless you’re in the military,” Mike quickly added, his fist clenching of its own accord from his anxiety.

 The Doctor could only stare at the other man. “Of all the utter nonsense…”

 “They say that… that allowing homosexuals into the military would cause morale problems and that they could be easily taken advantage of by the enemy.” Mike didn’t know why he explained the official reasoning for it. Maybe it was to fill the space.

 “Absolute nonsense,” the Doctor breathed.

 And still, with the damnation of the rules from the man sitting next to him, Mike could only glance to him for a second before staring out the windshield again. He let a silence happen between them for a moment before continuing. “If anyone from UNIT, or the army, knew I was in that pub, there would be an investigation, which would end with me being kicked out.”

 “I see.” The Doctor took a breath. “I don’t think the Brigadier would allow the loss of a fine Captain-“

 Mike shook his head. “If this got out, he’d have to. If not him, then someone above him would do it.” He nervously licked his bottom lip, and finally turned to look at the other man. “Doctor, I… I know I’ve only been there a few months, but UNIT… it feels like home. I don’t want to be kicked out.” He didn’t like the pleading tone his voice took, but if it would help him…

 “My dear chap, I won’t tell anyone,” the Doctor assured.

 “Thank you.” Mike slumped back against his seat. After a moment, he then confessed, “For the record, I’m not fully homosexual. I like women, too. In case you see me with one, I’m not faking.”

 “I understand.”

 “It’s not like this, where you come from?”

 The Doctor lightly chuckled. “Oh, no. It wouldn’t make any sense to have laws against such relationships, with the potentials in regenerations of Timelords.”

 Mike wasn’t sure exactly what the Doctor meant, but accepted the answer.

 “It won’t stay like this forever. Eventually, your society will understand how little sense this makes.”

 “You sound certain.”

 The Doctor smiled. “That’s because I am.”

 “Maybe so,” Mike sighed and stretched his arms out over the steering wheel. “But for now…”

 “Yes, for now…” the Doctor agreed. He put a finger to his mouth in thought, then quietly said, “For the record, I don’t think you’re the only soldier at UNIT with this secret.”

 Mike looked to the Doctor in slight surprise. “You think so?” Then he settled again. “Even if that’s true, this part of me… You won’t breathe a word of this to anyone? Not to Liz, or the Brig, or anyone at all?”

 “I promise, Mike. Your secret is completely safe with me.”

 Mike looked down to his leg as the Doctor’s hand rested on his knee. He placed his hand over it. He let out a long breath of relief. “Thank you.” The panic and fear at seeing the Doctor earlier had all faded, and he felt a little weight lift from his chest at being able to confess this to someone he considered a friend.


End file.
